• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Purdue, Illinois both aim to return to winning ways

Feb 8, 2009 - 6:37 AM No. 13 Purdue (17-5) at No. 21 Illinois (18-5) 1:00 p.m. EST

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois (Ticker) -- After a tough road loss snapped its six-game conference winning streak, 13th-ranked Purdue stays away from home when it looks to avenge its first Big Ten loss of the season Sunday.

The Boilermakers travel to No. 21 Illinois as both teams look to get back in the win column following losses.

Despite a career-high 30 points from JaJuan Johnson, Purdue (17-5, 6-3 Big Ten) dropped an 80-72 overtime contest to Ohio State on Tuesday in one of its worst defensive performances of the season.

The Buckeyes shot 60 percent from the field and became just the second team this season to break the 80-point mark against the Boilermakers, who were without preseason Player of the Year pick Robbie Hummel because of a stress fracture in his back.

The preseason choice to capture the regular season conference crown, Purdue dropped its first two conference games, including a 71-67 contest against the Fighting Illini on December 30, 2008.

Mike Tisdale scored 18 points in that win for Illinois (18-5, 6-4), which is coming off a 63-50 defeat against Wisconsin.

Mike Davis had 14 points and 11 rebounds while Demetri McCamey added 11 in the loss, the Illini's second in three games and fourth straight on the road.

McCamey leads four players averaging in double figures with 12.0 points per game. Illinois allows a league-low 56.9 points per contest.